Combined pressure and centrifugal extractor



Feb, 27, 1934.. e. w. JOHNSON 4 COMBINED PRESSURE AND CENTRIFUGALEXTRACTOR 7 Filed June 12, 1931 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED PRESSURE AND GENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTORApplication June 12, 1931. Serial No. 543,829

9 Claims. ((31. 210-63) laundries, centrifugal action is effective toremove liquid from fabric in a. length of time and to a degreeproportional to the speed of rotation of the extractorbasket. Therefore,ithasheretofore been necessary to rotate the extractor basket at a highrate of speed for a predetermined time in order to remove the excessliquid from the fabric,

leaving in the material only enough liquid to give the materialsufficient dampness for proper ironing.

My invention contemplates the provision of a mechanical pressureapplying means other than centrifugal force that follows the load,positioned by the centrifugal action so that a force necessary to expelliquid from the material is exerted on the material along substantiallythe lines of flow of the fluid due to centrifugal action, in conjunctionwith the usual centrifugal extracting '30 means, whereby the fabric maybe subjected to mechanically applied pressure and centrifugal forcealong substantially the same lines to force the water out of the fabricby squeezing action. This mechanical pressure applying means is of anature to be used either in unison or successively with the centrifugalextracting operation and provides a means for reducing the timenecessary to sufficiently remove the liquid from the fabric, forremoving the liquid under less dangerous conditions than usual, and formaking removal of the liquid from the fabric in a given time possiblewith a substantially slower speed of rotation of the basket than hasheretofore been possible. Thus a relatively great saving is acquired inthe power necessary to rotate the basket. Likewise, the time necessaryfor completing extraction being materially shortened, more goods can betreated in a given space of time. A saving will also be had in the costof building the extractors due to the fact that the slowspeed necessaryof the extractor basket will not require a design of a type to withstandthe enormous centrifugal forces of a basket rotating at a high rate ofspeed.

Various objects and advantageous features of 5. my invention will beapparent from the following description and one embodiment thereof maybe seen in the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters ofreference designate corresponding parts, and wherein the figure is avertical section of a centrifugal extractor including a mechanical ppressureapplying means other than the usual centrifugal actionconstructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a centrifugal extractor mechanismconsisting of a curb or casing 1 provided with a hinged cover 2 adaptedto close the open top thereof and a bottom 3 having an extension 4 onwhich a motor or power unit 5 for rotating a perforated basket 6 ismounted and suitable spaced supporting lugs 7 connected by links 8 toupright standards 9 spaced about a supporting frame or base 10. Suchmounting of the curb or casing 1, motor or power unit 5, and basket 6,as well as all interconnected operating parts, permits vibratory andoscillatory movement of the apparatus brought about by rotation of thebasket 6 without the usual destructive action on the apparatus.

The curb or casing bottom 3 is provided at its center with a suitablebearing 11 in which a vertical shaft 12 is arranged to rotate, the shaft12 carrying a belt pulley 13 at its lowermost end which is connected toa motor or power unit pulley 14 by means of a belt 15. A conical shapedbottom 16 of the perforated basket 6 is secured to the 35 upper end ofthe shaft 12 whereby the goods container 6 will be rotated when themotoror power unit 5 is operating. As shown, a removable cover 17 is providedto close the upper open end of the basket 6 and has means such assliding bolts 18 go that cooperate with the vertical walls of the basket6 for locking the cover in place.

In accordance with my invention, a means for applying mechanicalpressure to fabric within the rotatable basket 6 is provided that takesthe form of a suitably shaped bag 19 of rubber or other air-tightmaterial attached to the central portion of the basket cover 1'7 as at20 and to the upper end of the shaft 9 in such manner that the interiorof the bag 19 is in communication with a central bore 21 in the shaft 9.It will be understood that there may be a plurality of the bags 19 eachinterconnected with the bore 21 in the shaft 9 or a single bag asdesired. By the term mechanical pressure, is meant a pressure other thanthat produced on the fabric by centrifugal action.

The central bore 21 in the shaft 9'extends the entire length of theshaft and communicates at no the lower end thereof with a fluid pressuresupply pipe 22 connected to the lower end of the shaft 9 by a swiveljoint 23 whereby fluid pressure may be delivered to the bag 19 throughthe central bore 21 to inflate the bag. Such fluid pressure supply pipe22 is connected to a supply pipe 24 under the control of a valve 25 thatleads from a suitable source of, supply such, for instance, as acompressed air tank. Pipe 22 is also shown as being connected to asupply pipe 26 under control of a valve 27 that leads to a source ofsupply such as a compressor 28 mounted on the bottom 3 of the curb orcasing 1 and having a driving pulley 29 connected to the pulley 13 bymeans of a belt 30' whereby the compressor 28 will be driven in unisonwith the basket '6 by the motor or power unit 5 to continuously andincreasingly supplyfluid pressure to the bag 19 with rotation of thebasket whereby pressure on the work increases as extraction progresses.Since the bag is flexible and fluid is supplied thereto increasingly asthe extraction progresses, it will be seen that the bag will tend tofollow the shape of the load which moves toward the vertical walls ofthe basket due to centrifugal force. It will be understood that bothsources of fluid pressure are seldom, if ever, employed at the same timeand it will be seen that the compressor 28 is only effective when theapparatus is in operation whereby the mechanical pressure applying meansmust be used in unison with the extracting operation when compressor 28is employed, but when' fluid pressure is supplied through pipe 24 themechanical pressure for extraction may be applied before or after thebasket is rotated. Therefore, the supply pipes 24 and 26 are providedwith the valves 25 and 27.

In the operation of the apparatus, the hinged cover 2 is swung to openposition, the bolts 18 are moved to unlocked position, and the cover 1'7is lifted vertically by means of a lifting mechanism including hooks 31adapted to engage perforated lugs 32 on the cover 17, the hooks 31 beingraised and lowered by suitable power mechanism if desired. The height towhich the cover 17 can be lifted is limited by the bag 19 cover 17 islowered to the position shown, the

bolts 18 are moved to a locked position and the hooks 31 detached fromthe lugs 32, the cover 2 is closed down, the basket 6 is rotated andfluid pressure from a source of supply is admitted to the pipe 22. Suchfluid pressure will pass through the bore 21 in the shaft 9 and into thebag 19 which will force the bag out to fill the space inside the basket6 between the cover 17 and the saturated fabric 33. Continued admittanceof fluid pressure to the bag 19 will cause a mechanical pressure to beexerted on the fabric 33 to force any liquid out of the fabric by asqueezing action, the liquid draining ofl through the perforations inthe basket 6 and through a drain pipe 34 at the bottom of the curb orcasing 1. It will be apparent that since the bag 19 is wholly containedwithin the basket 6 and attached to parts thereof the motor or powerunit 5 may be set in operation to cause rotation of the basket eitherbefore fluid pressure is supplied to the bag 19, during the time fluidpressure is being supplied to the bag 19, or after fluid pressure hasbeen supplied thereto since the inflation of the bag 19 need not beaffected by rotation 0f he Y removal, means for subjecting the materialto metion as the lines of fluid flow due to centrifugal action broughtabout by movement of two parts toward each other the fabric beingdisposed therebetween as well as a means for removing liquid from fabricby centrifugal action. The provisionof such a mechanism insures thatliquid clinging to the parts adjacent to and outside of the actual goodsin the basket due to capillary attraction will be entirely removed bycentrifugal force, this removal taking place with a substan tially lessspeed of rotation of the basket than would otherwise be necessary shouldcentrifugal action be employed alone. Thus, a means is provided for moreeffectively removing liquid from fabric with a less operating cost ofthe usual centrifugal apparatus, with less danger to an operator, andwith less wear on apparatus parts. Various other advantageous featureswill be ap-' parent.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing, a rotatablematerial-receiving basket 11;) mounted within said casing and disposedaround a central shaft extending upwardly within said casing, means forrotating said basket to subject material therein to centrifugal actionfor liquid removal, and means for subjecting the material to mechanicalpressure as an aid to liquid removal by centrifugal action including aflexible bag secured to and having an inlet through said upstandingshaft, and means for passing fluid pressure through said inlet toinflate said flexible 1!) bag.

2. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing, a rotatablematerial-receiving basket mounted within said casing and disposed arounda central shaft extending upwardly within said casing, means forrotating said basket to subject material therein to centrifugal actionfor liquid removal, and means for subjecting the material to mechanicalpressure as an aid to liquid removal by centrifugal action including aflexible bag secured to and having an inlet through said upstandingshaft, and means for passing fluid pressure through said inlet toinflate said flexible bag by and simultaneously with rotation of saidhas-- ket whereby the mechanical pressure on the material is constantlyincreased as the centrifugal action progresses.

3. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing, a rotatablematerial-receiving basket mounted within said casing and disposed around'a central shaft extending upwardly within said casing, means forrotating said basket to subject material therein to centrifugal actionfor liquid chanical pressure in directions substantially the same as thedirections of flow of liquid under the centrifugal action as an aid toliquid removal by centrifugal action including a flexible bag secured toand having an inlet through said upstanding shaft, and means for passingfluid pressure through said inlet to inflate said flexible bag.

4. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing, a rotatablematerial-receiving basket mounted within said casing and disposed arounda central shaft extending upwardly within said casing, means forrotating said basket to subject material therein to centrifugal actionfor liquid removal, means for subjecting the material to mechanicalpressure in directions substantially the same as the directions of flowof liquid under the centrifugal action as an aid to liquid removal bycentrifugal action including a flexible bag secured to and having aninlet through said upstanding shaft, and means for passing fluidpressure through said inlet to inflate said flexible bag by andsimultaneously with rotation of said basket whereby the mechanicalpressure on the material is constantly increased as the centrifugalaction progresses.

5. In a machine of the class described, for extracting liquids fromfabric articles, a perforate container for receiving the articles andhaving a rigid cover arranged to be removably secured in closed positionon the container, a flexible bag secured with said cover to be disposedwithin said container when said cover is in closed position, and meansfor inflating said bag to cause its expansion against the work andincluding a fluid connection leading through the container wall, saidconnection being arranged to permit withdrawal of the bag with removalof the cover sufflciently to load and unload the container.

6. In a machine of the class described, for extracting liquids fromfabric articles, a perforate container for receiving the articles andhaving a rigid cover arranged to be removably secured in closed positionon the container, a flexible bag secured with said cover to be disposedwithin said container when said cover is in closed position, and meansfor inflating said bag to cause its expansion against the work andincluding a fluid connection leading through the container wall, saidconnection being located to permit withdrawal of the bag with removal ofthe cover sufficiently to load and unload the container.

7. In a machine of the class described, for extracting liquids fromfabric articles, a perforate container for receiving the articles andhaving a rigid cover arranged to be removably secured in closed positionon the container, a flexible bag secured with said cover to be disposedwithin said container when said cover is in closed position, and meansfor inflating said bag to cause its expansion against the work andincluding a fluid connection leading through the container wall oppositethe cover, said bag being proportioned to permit suflicient removal ofsaid cover without disconnection of the bag therefrom for convenientloading and unloading of said container.

8. In a machine of the class described, for extracting liquids fromfabric articles, a generally cylindrical perforate container forreceiving the articles and having an open end with a rigid covertherefor arranged to be removably secured in closed position on thecontainer, a flexible bag secured centrally with said cover to bedisposed within said container when said cover is in closed position,and means for inflating said bag to cause its expansion against the workand including a fluid connection leading centrally through the containerwall opposite the cover to a position of communication with said bagadjacover, said bag being of size to extend to the cylindrical wall ofthe container when the cover is in closed position.

9. In a machine of the class described, for err-- tracting liquids fromfabric articles, a rotatable perforate container for receiving thearticles and having a rigid cover, means for removably securcent theconnection between said bag and saidFg ing the cover on the container, aflexible bag

